Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II, 1857.


One OF our northern Republican OK.
changes, blinded by prejudice, says Of
Mr. CHANDLER's bin providing for Federal
control Of congressional elections in
several southern States what here fol.
lows:
alt is not easy TO see how opposition
to such a fair and simple measure can
mean anything but admission that the
Republican vote in the States in ques-
ton is iraudulently suppressed"
All, indeed Then why were al the
northern States excepted from the opera
ton of the bill AS the failure TO mako
the bill apply TO those States was no
doubt owing to a fear that they would
oppose the measure if it threatened TO
trench upon their rights, our Republican
contemporary may be regarded rs having
made the "admission that the Demo
cratic vose-iu Rhode Island, let US
SAYS "fraudulently suppressed.
Why should not the Jaw be made to
apply to all if tc any of the States? We
doubt that Congress has the power-wc
know it has not the right-to pass one
election law to take effect in Georgia
only, and another election Law to take
effect in Massachusetts only, and so on
all over the United States To concede
such a power to that body would be to
concode that it has the right under the
Federal Constitution so TO legisate as to
keep one party IN power all the time.
Election laws might be so framed rs that
they would operate to insure constant
Republican majority in the national
House of Representatives. OF course If
would be a necessary condition precedent
that at least two of the three departments
OF the Government should be under the
control of the same party. The remark
is as true of course Of one party rs OF
the other.
As no party ought to be intrusted with
the power to pepotuate Its own control
of the Government, we take it for grant
ed that neither the House OF Repre-
sentatives nor the President will give
any countenance to Mr. CHAYpLER's bill.
That trickster knew when he introduced
il into the Senate that it could not get
through the House of Representative.
He knew also that even il it could get
through the House of Representatives,
GROVER CLEVELAND would soon give it
the coup dc grace. His object, there
fore, in introducing the bill, it may be
assumed, was TO lay the foundation for a
series Of bloody-shirt speeches in the
Senate to be used as political capital
by the Republican party. The negroes
may be ally enough to give him
credit for having been Influenced by q
good motive. They lend a wiling ear
to all slanderers of The South. But the
intelligent white voters OF both parties
will refuse TO be deceived 10y the man
who in 1876 telegraphed it all over thC
country on election night that HAYES
had been elected President, and pro
ceeded at orce to make good his asser
ton by conspiring with a gang o
other men like himself TO count
for HAYES the electoral votes o
Florida and other States which
had been returned as haying voted fo
TILDEN. Such man must have a cheel
OF brass or he could not face the people
of this country with such proposition
as his bill TO provide for counting tn
votes of Florida, Mississippi, Souti
Carolina. and Louisiana for the Repub
hcan ticket whenever there is a con
gressional election held in those States.